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Yerba mate, from Paraguay to Syria

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Re: Yerba mate, from Paraguay to Syria

#61

Post by pantalaimon »

comfrey11 wrote: post #25

It’s interesting to see the love for yerba mate here! Fun fact: until the 1800s, yaupon holly was the go-to caffeinated beverage in the USA. Native Americans and early settlers drank it regularly, much like how yerba mate is enjoyed in South America. It was called “black drink” and was prized for its stimulating effects and health benefits. However, coffee’s rise in popularity pushed yaupon holly out of the spotlight…

Mate softdrinks are what fuels the German IT industry, with Club Mate being the most popular example.

Re: Yerba mate, from Paraguay to Syria

#62

Post by scotteric »

julianeon wrote: post #53

It's American too. Native Americans drank a Yaupon holly drink, as did Mormons (hence "Mormon tea"). It's not really prevalent here but you can raise your own native plant here in the USA if you want to and make your own tea.

I've always heard ephedra called Mormon tea.

Re: Yerba mate, from Paraguay to Syria

#64

Post by Anarch157a »

mc32 wrote: post #24
soneca wrote: post #3

> ”sipping a hot, slightly bitter infusion of caffeinated leaves from a dried gourd through a filtered metal straw, before passing the gourd to their friends to share” Someone might correct me, but I believe it is only in Brazil south that “chimarrão” (how they call this drink) is drank like this, hot and shared. In Argentina and Uruguay you drink it individually. You can share the recipient with the mate in it, but…

Does it contain antibacterials? Seems like an easy vector to spread sickness or disease. Or am I misunderstanding things? Is it like bums sharing a nighttrain [though alcohol helps here] or is there some hygiene involved?

The pipe used to drink it is made of silver and the thing is really hot. Drinkers believe it sterilizes the liquid, unfortunately, the Hep-B virus is tolerant to both. Brazil's Minister of Health records frequent outbreaks of the disease in Rio Grande do Sul and Santa Catarina, where this habit is more common.

Re: Yerba mate, from Paraguay to Syria

#65

Post by rasengan0 »

Had an ex who did Peace Corp in Paraguay and first introduced me to it. Hated it: bitter, astringent; didn't really care for the green version. Later in life came across mate again from Argentine culture and fell hard. While I liked sharing, I did enjoy drinking solo more. It really made me super productive at work during problem solving and was an all-day drink unlike tea or coffee. Moderation is key: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/es303494s I had to attenuate my drinking after 3 yrs of my favorite brand, Rosamonte Seleccion Especial. I've since moved more to coffee but there is still a lingering tender spot for my beloved mate.

Re: Yerba mate, from Paraguay to Syria

#66

Post by dendrite9 »

scotteric wrote: post #62
julianeon wrote: post #53

It's American too. Native Americans drank a Yaupon holly drink, as did Mormons (hence "Mormon tea"). It's not really prevalent here but you can raise your own native plant here in the USA if you want to and make your own tea.

I've always heard ephedra called Mormon tea.

Me too. I'm pretty sure Yaupon didn't grow in any of the Mormon areas (New York, Ohio/Missouri/Illinois, or Utah)

Re: Yerba mate, from Paraguay to Syria

#67

Post by schwartzworld »

reducesuffering wrote: post #45
Izikiel43 wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It’s not mild, you just developed tolerance. Source: an Argentinian who drinks more coffee than mate

It's milder in the sense it has less caffeine than coffee and is also more approachable to tea drinkers because it doesn't have as strong of a darker roasted taste. Not sure if the other xanthines make up for that.

Mate has about the same amount of caffeine as coffee. More even because of how it's consumed. You refill the hot water repeatedly, each infusion drawing more caffeine from the herb.

Re: Yerba mate, from Paraguay to Syria

#68

Post by hn_ltl-ftc »

Anecdotal, but I've had multiple Physicians (Urologists, specifically) recommend Mate as an alternative to Coffee and Tea. Particularly for people who find that Coffee or Tea causes them excessive urination and/or poor sleep quality; or who want to reduce the amount of acid in their diet. Though, as a reminder, Mate does also have caffiene, which can cause excessive urination and/sleep problems all by itself, even in pure (i.e., pill) form...

FWIW, as a long-time resident in the north-east USA, I've seen mate increasingly available in large grocery stores (super markets); though not consistently. And often it's the pre-mixed 'canned mate' form -- whatever that stuff is; I've never tried it. But Mate is typically also available in ground leaf/powder form, in tea bags. And sometimes in bulk form. That's what I purchase.

Sadly, I've rarely encountered Mate in restaurants in the USA, even in ones which advertise a selection of high-quality teas. At best, I've seen it in independent tea rooms and coffee bars. No, NOT in StarPhucks--yucks: coffee so bitter--at least not any of the ones near me.

After trying several of the brands of Mate that my local grocery store carried, I (happily) settled on the products from the Mate Factor company, from Asheville, NC. (I have no connection with them, other than as a very satisfied customer.) I particularly like their 'Mocha Mint' flavor, hot, either by itself, or slighly sweetened. (Though I can taste the mint note, most definitely; the mocha part is: ehh?) I think the Chai flavor is also good, but may be more of an acquired taste. The Hibiscus Lime is also yummy (IMO); but may not be a good choice for those who gave up coffee or tea for mate on acidity grounds (that's not medical advice, and I'm not your doctor).

https://matefactor.com/collections/yerba-mate

EDIT: typo fixes

Re: Yerba mate, from Paraguay to Syria

#69

Post by cblum »

cassianoleal wrote: post #57
cblum wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Correct, that’s a thing only in Rio Grande do Sul. Source: born and raised there :)

Incorrect. Gaúcho here, born and raised - but with many many friends and relatives in the other mate-drinking countries and across our (unfortunately currently under a lot of distress) state. Everywhere in the Pampas region - Uruguay, Paraguay, Argentina and Rio Grande do Sul -, the "roda de chimarrão" is pretty much the same. (Apparently in some part of Uruguay it's a bit less shared, more personal). One person hold…

I see, I didn’t know about Argentina.

I grew up in a border town bordering Uruguay and over there I’d definitely see folks carrying their personal thermos and cuia. But I would see groups on the Brazilian side of the border.

Re: Yerba mate, from Paraguay to Syria

#70

Post by flobosg »

sombragris wrote: post #29

Paraguayan here. Nice to see a good article talking about Yerba Mate. A nitpick on Tereré. Tereré is usually the ice-cold version of mate. You drink mate with hot water, tereré with ice-cold water as a refreshment. The practice of drinking it with fruit juice or some sweet beverage is mostly prevalent on northern Argentina. Here it is mostly viewed as a sacrilege. You drink your yerba mate, whether hot or cold, unswe…

> You drink your yerba mate, whether hot or cold, unsweetened

What about adding additional herbs (yuyos) for flavoring? Not fully sure, but I have the impression that it is mostly a Paraguayan thing.

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